Electronically actuated rocket catapult system for ejection seats

Abstract

Ejection seat systems include an ejection seat and a propellant assembly mounted to the ejection seat. A nozzle assembly having an adjustable nozzle is moveably attached to the ejection seat and configured to receive propellant exhaust from the propellant assembly and exhaust through the adjustable nozzle. A first linear electric actuator is operably connected to the adjustable nozzle and arranged to adjust an orientation of the adjustable nozzle in a first direction and a second linear electric actuator is operably connected to the adjustable nozzle and arranged to adjust an orientation of the adjustable nozzle in a second direction. The second direction includes a directional component that is normal to the first direction. A control module is configured to control operation of the first linear electric actuator and the second linear electric actuator.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. An ejection seat system comprising:
 an ejection seat; 
 a propellant assembly mounted to the ejection seat; 
 a nozzle assembly comprising an adjustable nozzle moveably attached to the ejection seat and configured to receive propellant exhaust from the propellant assembly and exhaust through the adjustable nozzle; 
 a first linear electric actuator operably connected to the adjustable nozzle and arranged to adjust an orientation of the adjustable nozzle in a first direction; 
 a second linear electric actuator operably connected to the adjustable nozzle and arranged to adjust an orientation of the adjustable nozzle in a second direction, wherein the second direction comprises a directional component that is normal to the first direction; and 
 a control module configured to control operation of the first linear electric actuator and the second linear electric actuator. 
 
     
     
       2. The ejection seat system of  claim 1 , further comprising at least one sensor arranged on the ejection seat and configured to detect a directional orientation of the ejection seat, wherein the at least one sensor is operably connected to the control module. 
     
     
       3. The ejection seat system of  claim 1 , wherein the control module comprises a controller and at least one sensor configured to detect a directional orientation of the ejection seat, wherein the at least one sensor is operably connected to the controller. 
     
     
       4. The ejection seat system of  claim 1 , further comprising a power source configured to supply electrical power to each of the first linear electric actuator and the second linear electric actuator. 
     
     
       5. The ejection seat system of  claim 4 , wherein the power source is a battery installed within the ejection seat. 
     
     
       6. The ejection seat system of  claim 4 , wherein the power source is configured to supply power to the control module. 
     
     
       7. The ejection seat system of  claim 1 , wherein the propellant assembly comprises:
 a cartridge housing configured to be attached to the ejection seat; and 
 a propellant cartridge installed within the cartridge housing. 
 
     
     
       8. The ejection seat system of  claim 7 , wherein the nozzle assembly is configured to removably attach to the cartridge housing at a first end of the cartridge housing. 
     
     
       9. The ejection seat system of  claim 8 , wherein the propellant assembly further comprises a cartridge cap removably attachable to a second end of the cartridge housing. 
     
     
       10. The ejection seat system of  claim 7 , wherein the propellant cartridge comprises a solid propellant. 
     
     
       11. The ejection seat system of  claim 1 , further comprising a breach configured to releasably connect the ejection seat to an aircraft. 
     
     
       12. The ejection seat system of  claim 1 , wherein the adjustable nozzle is a first adjustable nozzle and the nozzle assembly comprises a second adjustable nozzle. 
     
     
       13. The ejection seat system of  claim 12 , further comprising a second first linear electric actuator operably connected to the second adjustable nozzle and a second second linear electric actuator operably connected to the second adjustable nozzle. 
     
     
       14. The ejection seat system of  claim 1 , wherein the control module is configured to perform thrust vectoring based on input received from at least one sensor. 
     
     
       15. A method of ejecting an ejection seat from an aircraft, the method comprising:
 initiating an ejection operation in response to an ejection operation input; 
 igniting a propellant of a propellant assembly that is mounted to an ejection seat; 
 directing propellant exhaust through a nozzle assembly that is operably connected to the propellant assembly, wherein the nozzle assembly comprises an adjustable nozzle; 
 monitoring an orientation of the ejection seat using at least one sensor and a control module; and 
 controlling, using the control module, operation of a first linear electric actuator and a second linear electric actuator to adjust a direction of the adjustable nozzle in response to the monitored orientation of the ejection seat, wherein the first linear electric actuator is arranged to adjust an orientation of the adjustable nozzle in a first direction and the second linear electric actuator is arranged to adjust an orientation of the adjustable nozzle in a second direction, wherein the second direction comprises a directional component that is normal to the first direction. 
 
     
     
       16. The method of  claim 15 , wherein the control module and at least one sensor are configured to monitor for a roll of the ejection seat and to adjust the orientation of at least one of the first linear electric actuator and the second linear electric actuator to correct for a detected roll. 
     
     
       17. The method of  claim 15 , further comprising supplying electrical power from a power source mounted on the ejection seat to each of the first linear electric actuator and the second linear electric actuator. 
     
     
       18. The method of  claim 15 , wherein the control module is configured with a pre-programmed thrust vectoring operation to be performed in response to the initiation of the ejection operation. 
     
     
       19. The method of  claim 18 , wherein the control module is configured to adjust the pre-programmed thrust vectoring operation in response to input received from the at least one sensor by controlling actuation of the first linear electric actuator and the second linear electric actuator. 
     
     
       20. The method of  claim 15 , wherein the adjustable nozzle is a first adjustable nozzle and the nozzle assembly comprises a second adjustable nozzle, the method further comprising:
 controlling, with the control module, thrust vectoring of each of the first adjustable nozzle and the second adjustable nozzle.